Pensiero (The Monument), (sculpture).

Pensiero (The Monument), (sculpture).

Smith, Peter E., sculptor.

Johnson Atelier, founder.

Pensiero (The Monument), (sculpture).

West Windsor Township Veterans' Monument, (sculpture).

Dedicated May 20, 1989.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Pylon: terra cotta and brick partially gilded; Base: brick.

3 parts. Sculpture: approx. 3 1/2 ft. x 4 ft. x 4 ft.; Pylon: approx. 12 x 3 x 3 ft.; Pylon base: 7 in. x 12 ft. x 12 ft.

(Bronze plaque on southern side of pylon's base:) GIVE SORROW WORDS; THE GRIEF THAT DOES NOT SPEAK/WHISPERS THE O'ER-FRAUGHT HEART AND BIDS IT SPEAK/SHAKESPEARE/WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP VETERANS' MONUMENT/DEDICATED MAY 20, 1989

A three-part monument consisting of an abstract bronze sculpture of a thinking man, a tall brick and terra cotta tile pylon, and a flagpole. The thinking man is barefoot with his proper left hand raised in front of him and his proper right hand resting on a cane. He wears long-sleeved, ankle-length robes which are tattered, revealing holes in the figure. The sculpture is placed in a planted setting. Nearby is a tall pylon composed of alternating bands of brick and terra cotta relief tiles. The tiles on the lowest terra cotta band depicts flowers, tiles on the second band depict pieces of fabric, and tiles on the third band depict gilded stars and crescent moons. The flagpole is mounted on a rectangular base. The monument's three elements are arranged along a 60 degree axis.

History -- United States -- Military history

Literature -- Shakespeare

Figure male -- Full length

Dress -- Accessory -- Cane

Landscape -- Celestial -- Star

Landscape -- Celestial -- Moon

Landscape -- Plant

Ethnic -- Egyptian

Ethnic -- Greek

Allegory -- Time -- Present

Allegory -- Time -- Past

Allegory -- Time -- Future

Outdoor Sculpture -- New Jersey

Administered by Township of West Windsor, North Post Road & Clarksville Road, Princeton Junction, New Jersey 08550

Located Municipal Center, Mercer, New Jersey

The pylon relief tiles depicting flowers, fabric,and stars represent earth, man, and heaven; and beginning, middle, and end. The design for the flower relief is based on a Roman relief fragment of Isis (ca. A.D. 130). The fabric relief is derived from a metope from an ancient Greek temple of Hera (ca. 600 B.C.). The stars are based on the gilt stars on the vault of the Arena Chapel (ca. 1300 A.D.) in Padova, and the original Sistine ceiling (ca. 1480 A.D.) in Rome. The gilt stars and moons were formed by pressing coins into the clay. The coins came from countries in which Americans have fought and died. The moon shapes were formed using an 1890CC Liberty Head U.S. silver dollar. After the designs were completed the coins were sealed in the sculpture's base.

The monument originated in 1986 when members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 925 and the American Legion Post 76 requested that a monument honoring all veterans be built at the Municipal Center. The monument cost $30,000 and funds were raised through donations. It took three years for the monument to be completed. The monument was dedicated on Armed Forces Day. IAS files contain a pamphlet entitled "West Windsor Township Veteran's Monument."

Save Outdoor Sculpture, New Jersey survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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